Research - Function of the Music Video

As part of the A2 Advanced Portfolio, we will be working towards producing our own music video as part of a promotional package for a new British artist. In our first lesson we were introduced to a more in-depth look at music videos...

The main function of the music video is to promote the musician and sell the song to the listener. In this day and age, where the majority of us are exposed to our music through the internet, sites like YouTube are dominating over the ‘old ways’ of listening to music (e.g. via radio or CDs). Music videos have become much more important than say twenty years ago so – in effect, music videos have become a requirement. As a crucial factor for the success of today’s modern popular music singles, music videos must grab the attention of the consumer to entice them into watching it again and again. This in turn means that, due to repeat exposure to the song, there is a much more likely chance of the individual parting with their money for the music – this is vital, even more so with the increase in music piracy and file-sharing over the last decade.